Elegance
by pamb

Comment:
I am an absolute sucker for umbrella shots (I have 11 different umbrellas that I have collected for photo shoots). This one is stellar! Beautiful, rich, and warm red & orange tones complement the scene. The umbrella is like the setting sun. I love how the shape of the fan mimics/complements the spoke wheel shape of the umbrella (a half circle to the full circle). The silhouette of the lady is perfectly accomplished. She is elegance itself. Congrats on capturing such a stunning image!

Wind Beneath My Wings
by lisalkee

Comment:
This is one that I am drawn to the most out of your portfolio. The action and feel of flight is very strong. You can feel the wind whipping by as this hawk soars looking for his next meal...even though your commentary states otherwise:-) The blur on the wings for me gives the sense of motion while the tack sharpness on the head captures the beauty of this hunter with that piercing gaze. I have spend at least 2 years now trying to get a good pic of a peregrine falcon in flight(we have a wild one that I spot every so often flying around the neighborhood). Never managed any good ones. So that is another reason why I find this image so captivating and appealing.

Patriot
by lisalkee

Comment:
Absolutely stunning details in this eagle portrait from the fine white feathers near the beak to the brown feathers on the torso area. That piercing stare of this bird of prey is captured very well.

Minerva
by lisalkee

Comment:
As I said before - it is amazing what nature can do. Great capture on a rarely seen moment. I knew owls could turn heads but who knew an owl could turn their head upside down. Showed this to my kids and their response was surprised "What!" "Why does it do that!":-)

The Sweet Taste of Victory
by EOSail

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to comment.

Now that is an original and fun approach to presenting candy! Playing with your food comes to mind:-) I like how the focus is on the main red candy man who is about to kick the 'soccer' ball. All the others are bokeh because they are the supporting cast. The tilted angle makes this interesting and dynamic. Had you gone with a straight and level shot it would not be as interesting or appealing. My critique is the while good there are two things that could make it super. The devil is in the little details that can add so much. First off is that I am ignorant as to what these candies are so mayhap the candy box in the backdrop would add some dimension to the image. It would act as the ads of sponsors you see lining the walls of the arena in soccer/football/any major sport nowadays. The candy box of course be in bokeh so as to not be an overt distraction but still readable. The other detail suggestion is the 'ball' I assume it must be a hard mint candy but it would be great if we could know for sure. Also it is a flat one dimensional color. There are these little striped red and white candy mints that are ball shaped. I know that it might not have been possible for you to get them or the size might have been all wrong but it (or something like it with color/texture) would be an added detail that would be the cherry on top.

jelly Desserts
by saraclicks

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to comment.

The composition needs a little work to reach it's full potential. First off, I don't think the wine glass works with presenting the jelly candy. Wine glasses typically are associated with the act of drinking so, to me, this sends a subtle confusing message: Do I drink the candy or chew it?. A candy bowl would possibly been a better way to showcase the candy or maybe just having them tumble out of the candy box. The M&M's could be a nice complementry addition if this was all about candies but your title tells me that the primary focus is the jelly candies and nothing else. I love how the light through the jelly candies seen up top of the glass captures a nice magical glow. I think a close up shot with an arrangement of the *just* the jelly candies with the light shining through as I mentioned would make for a strong visually appealing image.

A Girl's Favorite
by jusjoshing

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to comment now.

Focus and details are good. The vibrant colors of the red strawberry and the red lipstick pops visually off the black nicely. Lighting is a little uneven causing some blown highlights on the fingers in the backdrop, the chin, and a deep 'outline' glow on the finger in the foreground holding the strawberry. I suggest perhaps bouncing the light with a reflector and/or using a faster shutter speed to let less light 'in' on exposure. I can see that you want the focus to be on the red lips and the strawberry but I'm not sure the desat works well in making the dessert look mouthwatering tasty. The chocolate is robbed of the rich brown tones that promises the taste buds sweet pleasure. When paired with the now vibrant color of the red strawberry it appears dull, unappealing and tasteless. I think the visual appeal of the image would be stronger if the chocolate covered strawberry was in full color and the woman & backdrop appear in B&W. That will draw the eye's focus on the main star, the chocolate strawberry, and later the eye will notice the supporting cast of the woman ready to take a taste.

I'll Take Mine Wet
by shair

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to comment.

A few years ago I tried to get a good shot with a strawberry in milk. It was not easy (after 50 drops with not one perfect shot I gave up). Getting the splash and the main subject in sharp detail focus is a really big challenge. Kudos to you for trying. The capture is not quite there as there are details on the strawberry that are lost and the splash is not as well defined as it could be. Perhaps a really fast shutter speed will get better results - then there is the issue with focus. Sometimes you get lucky. I wonder if one can focus on say, a straw placed in where one thinks the strawberry will land and fix the focus on that. Remove the straw, drop strawberry and hope for the best. I also want to add that what I do find appealing about the image is it's colors. The vibrant red of the strawberry and the bright yellow of the backdrop that makes me think of summer; a good color complement to the imagery that speaks of 'thirst quenching'.

Another Great Cake by "It's All About The Cake" - Dana Point, CA
by seethroughmylens

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to comment.

I have watched enough of the Food Channel to recognize that their are bakers who can do absolutely amazing things with cake and fondant:-) To me, this is an shining example of the creativity that can be baked up. Love the summer beach feel of the sand buckets - they are colorful, fun and cheerful. Now that said the backdrop does absolutely nothing to complement the beautiful cake. The brick backdrop conflicts with the imagery of the beach that the cake is projecting. I realize that there is a possiblity that this was taken at a tournament in which cakes were on display so that you had absolutely no control on the environs. However, making a beautiful cake is just part of what makes a dessert visually appealing in a photo challenge. Your audience cannot physically taste the cake so we have to rely on it's looks and by *how* you present it. Had the backdrop been something that alluded to the beach or summer it would have complemented the cake far better.

Oh boy, I just made the mistake of checking out the website for the bakery since you gave the name in the title. The photo on the page for the Mini Desserts and the photo on the cupcake page ----sweet! Ugh, now I am hungry and it way past dinnertime to indulge in a snack:-(

Wimbledon's Smashing Treat
by Kroburg

Comment:
Voted earlier coming back to comment.

First off - great catch on the milk splashing down on strawberries. The colors of the dessert are perfect - the milk is that refreshing white and creamy and the strawberries the bright, vibrant red that promises sweetness. Now I do have some critiques. I know that yellow conjures up imagery of being bright, airy, and cheerful, but paired with the silverware plate that it rests on I don't think it complements the dish to well. The plate is far too shiny and flashy that it clashes with the bright and airy yellow backdrop. The edges of the silverware plate are reflected on the glass dish that holds the dessert. The result is that it slightly distracts away from the full viewing pleasure for the reflects cuts across those sweet strawberries. If you had used something other than a reflective silver platter that would complement and work with all your elements the presentation of the dessert would reach it's full potential.